Adolescents Online: The Importance of Internet Activity Choices to Salient Relationships

The purpose of this study was to determine whether using the Internet for different activities affects the quality of close adolescent relationships (i.e., best friendships and romantic relationships). In a one-year longitudinal study of 884 adolescents (Mean age = 15, 46% male), we examined whether visiting chat rooms, using ICQ, using the Internet for general entertainment, or participating in online gaming predicted changes in the quality of best friendships and romantic relationships. Multiple regression analyses indicated that Internet activity choice influenced later relationship quality in both best friendships and romantic relationships. Using instant messaging (ICQ) was positively associated with most aspects of romantic relationship and best friendship quality. In contrast, visiting chat rooms was negatively related to best friendship quality. Using the Internet to play games and for general entertainment predicted decreases in relationship quality with best friends and with romantic partners. These findings reflect the important and complex functions of online socialization for the development and maintenance of relationships in adolescence.

Wendy M. CraigEmail:

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Julie J. Blais   is a Doctoral Candidate in Clinical Psychology at Queen’s University. Her research interests include bullying, the Internet, and relationship formation and maintenance in adolescence and young adulthood. Wendy M. Craig   is a Professor in the Department of Psychology at Queen’s University. In recognition of her work on bullying and victimization, She won an Investigator Award from the Canadian Institute of Health Research. Dr. Craig has published widely on topics of bullying and victimization, peer processes, sexual harassment and aggression in girls. As a Canadian representative, Dr. Craig works with the World Health Organization and UNICEF conducting research and promoting healthy relationships. Dr. Craig is leading Promoting Relationships and Eliminating Violence Network (PREVNet), a national strategy to stop bullying in Canada. Debra Pepler   is a Distinguished Research Professor in Psychology at York University and a Senior Associate Scientist at The Hospital for Sick Children. Together with Dr. Wendy Craig, Dr. Pepler is leading Promoting Relationships and Eliminating Violence Network (PREVNet), a Networks of Centres of Excellence—New Initiative (). Her major research program examines the prosocial and antisocial behaviour of children and adolescents, particularly in the school and peer contexts. The seminal aspect of this research comprised naturalistic observations of interactions among school-aged peers with remote microphones and video cameras. Her current research in this area examines aggression and victimization among adolescents with a focus on relationship problems and solutions. Jennifer Connolly   is a Professor of Clinical-Developmental Psychology at York University and is the Director of the LaMarsh Centre for Research on Violence and Conflict Resolution. Her research examines social development in adolescence, and especially romantic relationships. Her goals are to identify the attributes of successful relationships as well as those of conflictual or aggressive relationships.